


A Dance with Death

by violetgrier



Category: The Monstrumologist, The Monstrumologist Series - Rick Yancey
Genre: AGH SORRY GUYS, Action, Adventure, F/M, I actually have no idea where this story is going, Monsters, Pellinore and Muriel is implied, blood n gore, canon but also not, dad!pellinore, ill tag more later, im doing my best, im terrible and new at this, imma have to reread the books for the 7th time, pellINORES GOT A DAUGHTER, please excuse typos im tired, title will prob change too tbh, violence probably, will Henry’s POV, will henry is shocked
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-06-15 11:02:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15411480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/violetgrier/pseuds/violetgrier
Summary: (This is written after Ilse of Blood so WH is probably around 15/16??)“I was shocked to say the least. There, standing in front of me in the door, was a carbon copy of the doctor himself. Long legs, lithe frame, raven black hair, and pale skin. However, her eyes were different. They were as green as the trees and grass outside on the front lawn, with specks of gold from the sun itself. They held a fire deep in them with a hint of mischief. Freckles were splashed across her nose and high cheekbones. She looked at me and smirked, showing off her dimples.“Well,” she said, voice smooth and relaxing, “don’t tell me you’re his too.” “--Pellinore has a daughter with Muriel but she’s kept a secret from everyone, even John, as Pellinore pays for her to be at boarding school her entire life.When both Muriel and John die, Pellinore has to take care of her cause she’s too old for  boarding school, having just turned 18.





	1. Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> AGH IM WRITING THIS aT 1:30 cause what’s sleep. 
> 
> Anyways I hope you guys enjoy this, I have no idea how long this story will be but just a warning:
> 
> Updates will most likely be slow because school is coming up, I’m writing my own original story on the side, and I’m involved in many extracurricular activities. 
> 
> anyways I always thought that this fandom is way too small and that the only works on here are Willinore so I thought why not contribute something different 
> 
> Please enjoy and send (!contructive!) criticism because it is welcome

Outside the sky was gray and miserable, and the sun had just began to peak over the clouds when I heard his shrill cry from what sounded like the kitchen.

” _Will Henrryyyy!”_

I quickly scurried out of bed, still wearing my clothes from the day before, which in all honesty were in the need of a desperate wash, and made my ways down to the kitchen. I stood in the door frame and watched him scuttle from cabinet to cabinet, if a man with his type of stature could even scuttle. 

“Will Henry! I have been calling your name for at least an hour now. Where have you been?” He angrily huffed, stopping once he saw me. “And what are you doing standing there? Come help me.”

”In bed, sir.” I answered. “What are you doing, sir?” 

“Stop saying sir.” 

“Yes sir, sorry sir.” 

He groaned and rubbed his eyes with one hand while the other was on his hip.

”Useless! Absolutely useless!” He murmured to himself and then turned fully to look at me. “I thought it was obvious that I was making breakfast, or are you that thick headed.”

”No sir,” I answered lamely.

He gave me a look but said nothing more on that matter. Rolling his eyes he said “I have to make myself presentable. You, make breakfast for three.” 

“Three, sir?” I ask incredulously.

“Have I made myself unclear? If such a menial task is above your grasp, perhaps you should reconsider your apprenticeship.” With that he walked away presumably to the upstairs washroom. He said that as if it was my choice to live in his home as his apprentice. 

His hair and beard had grown to an almost untamable length and were both in need of a good cut and wash. He too was wearing his clothes from the day before as we had gotten home in the early hours of the morning. 

It had been four months since Socotra and the entire affair around it and ever since Warthrop had not been acting the same. He was still the same man even down to his very core, yet I had a creeping feeling that something about him was off. Maybe it was that he was anxious to go back to New York in the next month. Whatever it was, only he knew, and he wasn’t telling.

In all my years under the Doctor’s apprenticeship we only had 2 or 3 expected guests- and not one of them had ever come over for breakfast. Most of our guests came in the early hours of the morning with some macabre parcel of the doctors unholy interests. I had many questions racing through my head, but I did my best to ignore them as I hastily made a breakfast of eggs and scones. I had just set the tea out when I heard a knock on the door. 

Warthrop was still upstairs and apparently didn’t hear the knock, or didn’t care. The rain was coming down harder now and the wind howled against the house. I lit the lights in the foyer and opened the front door.

I was shocked to say the least. There, standing in front of me in the door, was a carbon copy of the doctor himself. Long legs, lithe frame, raven black hair, and pale skin. However, her eyes were different. They were as green as the trees and grass outside on the front lawn, with specks of gold from the sun itself. They held a fire deep in them with a hint of mischief. Freckles were splashed across her nose and high cheekbones. She looked at me and smirked, showing off her dimples. It would be a blatant lie to say that she wasn’t attractive.

“Well,” she said, voice smooth and relaxing, “don’t tell me you’re his too.” 

She was only an inch or so taller than me, standing at about 5’8. But that didn’t shock me as much as seeing her wearing men’s pants. It was after all, hardly 1890.

”It’s quite impolite to gape at someone, and even more so when said someone is cold and wet.” 

Without saying a word I took her bag and opened the door wider for her to walk in. I was even more baffled and puzzled now than I was before. It had to be a sister he never told me about, but he had never mentioned one and always told me he was an only child. A cousin, perhaps? One that looks quite adolescent and similar. I, in my childish and boyish mind, refused to believe deep down who I knew she was.

I took her coat as she slowly walked deeper into the house, taking it all in stride. At the bottom of the stairs she turned and looked at me again. 

“Where is he?” She asked.

”Who are you?” I blurted out, completely ignoring her question and all manners.

She only smiled. ”I’m not even surprised that he’s never even mentioned me, if I’m being completely honest. But first, where is he?” 

Right as I opened my mouth to answer the man himself walked down the stairs, buttoning his jacket. He didn’t look surprised at all to see her standing there and instead focused his attention on me.

”Will Henry, is breakfast ready?”

At that point nodding was all I could muster as my mouth was dry. He noticed my expression and what he said next  nearly cause me to faint from shock.

“Will Henry, this is my daughter Elliot Jean Warthrop. Elli, this is my apprentice, William James Henry.” 

I looked back and forth between the two, Warthrop still on the landing leaning against the railing, and his _daughter_  standing just below him. 

“Well, I have some business to attend to. I guarantee that I will be back within the next two hours. Will, show her around, if you will.” With that he came down the last four stairs and walked out the front door. 

I’m sure my mouth was still open when she, Elliot Jean Warthrop, spoke. 

“So, Will, what’s your story? I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.” She smirked again. Something in her reminded me somewhat of Jack Kearns. Maybe it was the smirk, or maybe it was the mischievous glint in her eyes. 

“My parents died in a fire and the Doctor took me in.” I answered plain and simple.

”How kind of him. He took an orphan in before he took his own daughter in. I can see that his pride is still the most important thing to him.” She crossed her arms and looked up the stairs. “I’m hungry, Will Henry. What did you make for breakfast?” 


	2. “A shame, really”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which we learn of some of the story (Elli’s of course)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i tend to write a little bit dialogue heavy, but this chapter has a lot of dialogue even for me.

After breakfast, which was eaten mostly in silence, I took her to the guest room at the end of the upstairs hallway.

“I’m up the stairs in the attic, and he has the first room in the hall, if you need us.” I shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot wanting to ask her so many questions but I also didn’t want to be intrusive. She was turned towards the bed looking out the window at the dreary June day.

Without even turning her back she said, “Ask away,” with the flick of her hand. It was exactly what the doctor did. Their similarities, it seemed, didn’t stop at just outward appearances.

“How old are you?”

“18.” She sounded bored.

“Where did you live before now?”

“London.” She opened her bag and began going through it. It would explain her slight accent. 

“Why are you wearing pants?”

“Why are you, Will Henry? Because they’re more comfortable than a skirt.” She scoffed, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

“Who’s your mother?” I crossed the threshold of her room, and the conversation.

At that she turned around to face me with a serious look, like she was thinking of something. I feared that I had asked a question that she wasn’t willing to answer, and that she would send me out of her room.

Finally after a few silent moments she answered quietly. “Her name was Muriel, she died a couple years back.”

Again I looked at her with the expression of a fish out of water -eyes wide and mouth agape. “You...what...I-I’m….” I stuttered.

“Did you know her, Will? Did you know my mother?” She asked before diving into her story, “She was newly engaged to her husband, John Chanler, when she figured out that she was with child. After Pellinore, my father, was told he offered to have her go on a ‘sabbatical’ for a year. She was five months along when she left New York for London, where she stayed with one of his friends, Jack Kearns, who was a doctor, and his sister.”

“I knew him too.” I interrupted her.

She cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “I have no doubt that you did. Anyways, four months later I was born. My mother stayed there in London until I was nearly 8 months old. Until I was old enough to go to school I stayed in the Kearns’ care. Then I went to the most prestigious boarding school for girls in England, where I continued my education until I graduated last month.”

That would explain her playful and mischievous disposition, she was raised by none other than Jack Kearns. I wondered if she knew what happened to him, just a little over half a year ago. Brushing the thought away, I decided to continue asking questions.

“How often did he visit?”

Her lips were graced with a small smile when she turned back towards her bag. “Not often enough, little Will. Maybe once every two years, and then about 3 years ago they stopped all together. I’m assuming that’s when you started assisting him, yes?” I nodded and she continued. “Mother visited me twice a year until she died.”

“Why did they give you a mans name?” I continued asking questions, my curiosity getting the better of me. My mother always told me that my curiosity would be my death.

“Now, that, I do not have an answer to. But let me tell you, it has made my life much easier. If I dress like a man and if I tell someone that my name is Elliot, they treat me better than if I were to tell them my name is Elli. Women are not fragile and stupid and should not be treated as such. Now that’s enough about me, how about you? What’s your story?”

“Uhm, well…” I didn’t really know where to begin. “My father, James Henry, worked for Warthrop, until he got sick. Then there was a fire and both of my parents died. I think you know the rest.” I conveniently left out the parts where worms fell out of eyes and mouth as he burned to death. His finals words would always torment me.

_It burns. It burns._

She nodded, but now it was her turn to ask questions. “How old are you?”

“Almost 15.”

“No!” She gasped, “There is no way. You’re too small. You look no older than 12 at the most.” She smiled. I noticed that her teeth were all perfectly straight and a brilliant white.

“I get that response often.” I smiled back. I realized that I enjoyed talking to her as it was easy, just like talking to Muriel was. A trait she had inherited from her mother, along with her eyes and freckles.

“What happened to your finger Will Henry?” Ah, but she was also 100% her father's daughter. Brutally honest and straight to the point, she held nothing back.

“The doctor chopped it off with a butcher knife.” I replied nonchalantly. Then we both burst into peals of laughter until our stomachs hurt and there were tears in our eyes. I hadn’t laughed like that in many years, and it was something, in the moment of it all, that I realized I desperately missed. However, we must have both been quite insane to be laughing at such a thing as my missing finger.

Between the laughs she managed to gasp out “Are you serious?” and “Why would he do that?”

Our laughs were interrupted by Warthrops voice. “Yes, he’s quite serious, Elliot, and only because it could not be helped.” He was standing in the door frame with a sour look on his face, arms crossed.

She stood to her full height and wiped her eyes. It looked like she was daring him to do something, a challenge of some sort. I have no idea what it might have been.“How long have you been there?” She tried to calm down her breathing and couldn’t help but smile. I, on the other hand, was quite serious right away.

“Long enough,” He turned to walk out, “let’s go Will Henry. Snap to!”

I excused myself from her room and followed him down the stairs. “Bring me some tea and scones. I’ll be in my study.” With that he left me alone in the foyer as he made his way towards the library.

I had many questions for him as well, but I doubted that he would be near as open as Elliot was. I would probably have been scolded for asking such questions to him, but I knew that eventually he would tell me.

When I entered the library, he wasn’t behind his heavy oak desk in his study. Instead he was sitting in front of the fireplace, with his fingers steepled under his chin and his eyes closed as if he was deep in thought. When he spoke his voice was soft and quiet.

“She reminds me exactly of myself when I was younger, you know. A shame, really…” I set the tray next to him on a small table, yet it stayed untouched.

“Why is would that be a shame, sir?” I asked.

He opened his eyes and stared at me, his gaze burning a fire in my skull. “Why wouldn’t it be, Will Henry?” He countered my question with one of his own. “She’s headstrong and stubborn, but then again, so was her mother, I suppose.” I was sure he didn’t know that I knew who her mother was.

“She has a heart for Monstrumology, she’s quite clever, scoring the top in her class, she is me in every way…” He trailed off and looked into the fire. It created shadows on his gaunt face, making his cheeks and eyes look even more hollow and sunken in. It had started to thunder outside and the house trembled.  
  
“I was there when she was born too, as with you. I also delivered her, with some help of course,” he meant Jack Kearns and his sister, “ I was scared she would be as sickly as I was, but she was strong and healthy with a head full of thick black hair,” he let out a breathy laugh. “I stayed there in London with them for 5 months before I was called back home, by your father. It was something with the Society. I only told von Helrung and your father about her. They were my two closest friends.”

Suddenly upstairs there was a loud crash and a shriek. The both of us raced upstairs, me on my master’s heel.

He was in her room before I was, as he had taken the stairs two at a time. Both of us were slightly winded but he managed to gasp out “What is it?!”

Elliot was standing with her back against the window, holding it closed and taking in deep breaths. “Wind...window…open…” she responded. Her hair , which only went to her shoulders and was as straight as a pin, was wet and plastered to her neck and forehead. Her clothes were nearly drenched with water.

The doctor groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Will Henry, help her clean up this mess. I’ll be in the basement.” It seemed to me like he was avoiding his daughter at all costs. Although, if it had been I who had been drenched in water, I suppose he wouldn’t have helped me to clean it up either.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had the Ilse of Blood sitting right next to me as I wrote this chapter so I could check and correct some inconsistencies. If you find any please let me know! 
> 
> -violetgrier xx


	3. “The Doctor’s Biding”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lil will & jelli elli have a day on the town

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> contrary to popular belief, i still do exist. However, I do apologize for the long long break and thank you for your patience! :)  
> this is just a fun/filler chapter that hardly moves the plot along. I hope y’all enjoy
> 
> as always constructive criticism is welcome! feel free to comment  
> -xx violetgrier 
> 
> also!!! There will be more Warthrop and Elli interactions in the future! I promise!! I’m just trying to set her character up now, no worries.

The next two weeks were both intriguing and difficult. Elliot repeatedly bested the monstrumologist at chess, which was amusing out first, however, I was left to deal with the aftermath. She also, to the doctors irritation, would sit in the basement with us while he studied his new specimen, a young basilisk, whom another monstrumologist had sent him all the way from India, and try to actively participate in its dissection. 

She irritated him and it gave her immense pleasure to see how far she could push his patience before he broke. It seemed as if she had no other purpose in her life than to annoy him. She would play pranks on him, but never on me. Such pranks included waking him up multiple times in the middle of the night and hiding under his bed before he saw her, adding too much salt in his food, and hiding all of his undergarments. By the end of the month the monstrumologist pulled me aside. 

“Will Henry, I can’t take it anymore. It’s only been a few weeks and she has already driven me up the wall. I just need a few hours of peace and quiet.” He shoved a pouch of gold coins and a wad of money into my hand and shoved me towards the stairs. “Go upstairs, get her and take her out to do…” he paused, “whatever it is that ladies do!” 

I wanted to protest and say that she was not a lady, in fact she was quite the opposite. She was a young woman, yes, but being a woman does not inherently designate you as a lady. I think in today’s terms we would call her a “tom-boy.” No matter, I still did the doctors bidding. 

When I found her upstairs, she was sitting on her bed with some type of journal in her lap. I had no idea what she was doing and right as I walked in she quickly closed it and put it under her pillow.

“Ah! It’s little William. How are you on this,” she peaked out of the small window which had sunlight streaming into it, “awfully bright and cheerful morning?” She smiled at me, but it was more of a formality. I noticed that most of her smiles never quite reached her eyes. 

“The doctor has asked me to take you out into town for…,” I paused not sure of what I should say, “an outing?” It sounded more like a question than a statement, but regardless, she stood up and nodded. 

“Well I had better get ready then! I’ll meet you downstairs in a few minutes.” With that she shooed me out and shut her door. 

Thankful she wasn’t questioning my ulterior motives, though I believed she knew them somehow, I headed to my alcove to retrieve my hat. Less than ten minutes later she met me in the foyer. She was wearing a dress and a hat which complimented it. Her hair was pulled up in the typical fashion of the day and she was also wearing jewelry. Seeing my shocked expression she smirked.

“I am still capable of being a lady every now and then William. Shall we be on our way? Surely we couldn’t stay in ‘the doctor’s’ way.” We left the house on Harrington Lane and made for the center of town. “What are we going to do once in town? Go shopping? Get something to eat? Oh, I have it! Let’s go to a bar!”

I started up at her with eyes as big as tea saucers and she only laughed at my expression. Once I composed myself I answered her as best as I could. “What would you like to do first? Except for go to a bar that is!” I rushed out the last part and I was almost certain she didn’t understand a word of it. 

“Of course I’m not going to go to a bar, not dressed like this anyhow. I believe we should get some tea and scones? Doesn’t that sound delightful? Are there any cafes in this town?” I nodded and she continued her monologue. “Afterwards, we should go to the grocery and pick up a few things. I have noticed that we’re running low on some of the essential items. And you could also always show me around the town. I would love to see the post office as I’m expecting a few letters.” 

We did everything she wanted to. It turned out her favorite tea was Earl Gray and her favorite scones were lemon- unlike her father. She bought nearly everything you could imagine at the grocer’s and paid extra to have it delivered later that night. Everywhere we went, people would stare at her in shock. It was my fear that they all knew who she was; after all, there weren’t too many explanations of who she could have been and any person can come to the correct logical deduction. I was surprised that Warthrop would let his pride be wounded in this way. It made me wonder why he hadn’t locked her up in the attic, with only the one small window to let her see the sun. Either I had an entirely new master, which seemed completely unlikely, or he just ceased to care about anything, which seemed even more unlikely.

Nevertheless, we continued on our journey to the post office. Along the way, I showed her a few of the shops. One of them was a clothing store, the very one where my hat from the doctor had been purchased. She told me to remind her to go back there one day, so she could buy some more dresses. “I only have the one I’m wearing right now. All of my other clothes are men’s.” I nodded and promised that I would. 

“You don’t talk much, do you Will Henry?” she asked me, still about a block away from the post office. The hot early July sun was shining down on us, causing sweat to drip down from my hair and I was beginning to get hot and uncomfortable in my long pants. 

“No, the doctor’s work doesn’t require much talking.” I responded, eager to get to our destination, where it would be at least a few heavenly degrees cooler, and not in any mood to have in depth conversations. 

“It doesn’t require it? Or is it that he just doesn’t want you to speak? Because, I would suspect the latter of the two.”

“It doesn’t require it.” I snapped. I was starting to get annoyed by her as well. It might have been the sweltering heat of the hot summer’s day, or it could have been that she was accusing the doctor of something that I believe wasn’t true. Warthrop always encouraged me to speak my mind, even though I was usually wrong about almost everything. Because of this, I chose not to speak often.

“Whatever you say, William. I suppose I am inclined to agree with you, as you have the money and I need to send a few letters.” We had finally reached the postal office and I was thankful to get out of the heat. “Do you or my father happen to know Dr. Kearns new address? He left for London a few months before I graduated and I haven’t heard from him yet. He said it was for a new business prospect at one of the hospital there.”

She continued talking, but I had stopped listening. She still believed that Kearns was alive. I had no idea what to say to her. I couldn’t tell her that I killed the man myself, which was the truth, but I couldn’t tell her that I didn’t know because I was sure she’d ask the doctor. If she did ask him, I was scared that he would tell her the truth, after all, he hated fibs. Placing all of my faith in Warthrop’s judgement I responded.

“No, I don’t. You can ask your father though, he might know.” I hoped, for all three of us, that I hadn’t made a mistake.


	4. “How many kinds of love are there?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the gang heads off to New York and meets up with some old friends !

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as promised, here are some more Elli and Pellinore interactions. don’t you just love them? 
> 
> also I apologize because I was supposed to publish this on december 18, but obviously that didn’t happen, so sorry!

We arrived back at Harrington Lane less than an hour later to find the doctor’s travel bags in the foyer and a light shining from the kitchen. Once Elli saw the suitcases her face dropped and she hurried up the stairs. I, however, made my way to the kitchen where I found the doctor making himself tea. 

“Will Henry, go pick your bags, we’re leaving within the hour.” He didn’t even turn to face me.

“Within the hour? I thought we weren’t leaving until next week.” 

“The plans have changed. Now snap to! I’ll be in my study.” With that he took his tea to the library and shut the door. 

I didn’t know what could be so urgent that would make the doctor leave on such a short notice, but it was nothing new to me. The answer to my question was found on the table. It was a letter from Von Helrung, which was rather short in its entirety. 

“My dear Pellinore,  
The Society needs your expertise on a rather troublesome and perplexing issue. Your presence would be appreciated in the most timely manner.”  
-Abram Von Helrung”

I had no idea what it could be, but nonetheless I did the doctors bidding and headed up to my alcove in order to pack. It took me no more than twenty minutes to pack, and once I was finished I set my bag next to Warthrop’s in the foyer. 

“Ah good, I already sent for a cab to take us to the train station. We’ll be staying at Von Helrung’s tonight. Are you ready?” He had changed since I last saw him, into traveling clothes. 

Before I could speak, however, I was interrupted. “I’m going with you.” Elliot spoke carrying her suitcase down the stairs. She was wearing men’s clothes, and to the unassuming, could pass as a young man. 

“No,” Warthrop gave her a hard look, “you are not. This is not a vacation, nor is it a business call for ladies.” 

“If it not a business call for ladies, than it is not a business call for young boys.” She returned the same look. The tension in the room was a thick as fog, and I wanted nothing more than to leave. Having the two most stubborn people, to what I believed to be in the entire world, having an argument was not the most pleasant situation to be in the middle of. 

“Will Henry is not just a young boy. He is my apprentice and he is indispensable to me. He must come with.” Warthrop, at this point was beyond irritated. His jaw was set and his fists were curled tightly at his sides. Yet, Elli wasn’t one to back down and continued down the stairs. 

“I suppose, then, if he is indispensable, I am dispensable, and it would not matter what would happen to me, wherever it is that we are going.” She dared him, that invisible dare, and raised her chin at him, as an act of defiance, not blinking once as she kept eye contact with him. “Unless…”

“Unless what?” At this point he was furious. He knew that she was right, and there was nothing he could do or say that would deter her. 

“You’re embarrassed of me, and that’s why you won’t let me come with.” She knew she was right. The doctor himself said that the only two people that knew about her were my father and von Helrung. Everyone else at the Society didn’t know, and to him it would be a disgrace if they ever found out that he had a daughter with Mrs. Chanler. When he didn’t respond she just smiled, a sad smile, and nodded her head. 

“I knew it. Well, I better go back upstairs, I don’t want you to suffer any more embarrassment at your own expense.” She made it to the top of the stairs before her father spoke.

“Elliot, wait.” She turned around and looked at him, beckoning him to continue. “Would you like to come with?” It was a rare moment, one that I believe I never saw more than twice. He had been defeated, and with his wounded ego, he didn’t pity himself for a second. It also seemed like all of his anger had dissipated in a second. Elliot only smirked down at him. 

“No, I decided to pack my bag and tell you that I was coming with, just to aggravate you for no reason other than my pure amusement and joy.” Immediately the doctor regretted his decision, and rolled his eyes. He said nothing in response to her and instead, grabbed his two bags and walked out the front door, where the carriage waited for us. Elli whistled a merry tune as she followed him out as if she had just won a gold medal in the olympics. She handed the driver her bag and practically hopped into the cab, directly across from the doctor, and had the audacity to smile at him. I took my spot next to Warthrop and we were off to the train station. 

“So where are we going?” She asked once we were on the train. It would take us only a few hours to reach New York from New Jerusalem, and we would arrive at Meister Abram’s around 7 that night. Elliot still had no idea where we were going, yet she was excited at the very prospect of an adventure. Warthrop’s eyes were closed and he was leaning his head against the back of the booth we were seated in. I was sure that he was asleep until he spoke and opened one eye to look at her. 

“For now, New York.” He closed his eye again and readjusted himself to be more comfortable.

“What do you mean, ‘for now’?” She leaned forward almost to the point of falling off of her booth opposite the doctor. She was practically buzzing with excitement for the unknown. 

“I mean exactly that. For now we’re going to New York, and after that, we’ll see. We may head back to New Jerusalem, or we may head out on some unforeseen and treacherous journey.” This time his eyes remained closed. “Now if you would not mind, I would like to sleep for a few hours.” 

She stared at him a moment longer, opening and closing her mouth, unsure if she wanted to say anything more. She decided instead, to pull out the leather bound journal I had seen her with earlier that morning. I couldn’t tell what she was doing in it, if she was writing or sketching something out. I decided to leave it up to mystery, stomping my curiosity out like a spark in a dry forest. 

I hadn’t realized that I, myself, had dozed off, until I woke up nearly two hours later, with a crick in my neck, and the sound of quiet whispers and the steady clank of the train wheels. I decided to pretend I was sleeping, just a while longer, so in my childish immaturity, I could listen in on Elliot and Warthrop. 

“He tells me that his parents perished in a fire. Is that true?” I could hear her sip on a drink, Earl Gray tea perhaps. 

The doctor was tapping his fingers impatiently on the table before him, something he rarely did, and typically only out of irritation or anxiety. “Yes, it was an accident.”

“So you took in an orphaned boy, but not your own flesh and blood?”

“It’s different Elliot. His father was my best friend, I couldn’t leave him. In a sense, I was the one who brought on his parent’s deaths. You were in the care of one of my most trusted accomplices, and you were pursuing your education, something that would be very difficult for you here.” 

“Yet you still shipped me and my mother off to save yourself from the embarrassment. You know, I remember one of the last times you visited me. I was so excited, both you and mother would be there, together. I was just about to turn 14 and Jack said he would take off work for an entire week, so we could all celebrate together. Instead, I hardly saw you and James Henry. You couldn’t even be bothered to wish me a good day, let alone celebrate my birthday. You told mother you had work to do. It’s always been your work above anything, yourself included. You use Will for your own benefit, not to raise him. I can see, now, why she left you. You’re so selfish you won’t even-”

“I was in pursuit of one of the most rare finds in the history of monstrumology. Leaving you on your birthday was not my intention.”

“Yet, it was your desire.” With that she left the booth. I hadn’t even noticed that the train had stopped. The doctor shook me awake after a moment of silence. 

“Snap to, Will Henry, we have much to do.” 

—

The carriage ride to von Helrung’s could best be described as awkward. Elli, was obviously still fuming after their brief dispute and resorted to looking out the window the entire ride. I was both anxious and excited for what was to come. Deep down, a part of me wondered if I would see Lily again. We had a lot to catch up on, especially after last year. 

Once we stopped, I was anxious to leave the sullen atmosphere and immediately grabbed the four bags from the coachman. The doctor struck the door with his walking cane three times and almost immediately the door opened to a beaming von Helrung. He ushered Warthrop and I in, and Elli snuck in behind me, unnoticed by her father’s old mentor. 

“Ah, mein freund Pellinore! I do hope your trip was pleasant?” He crushed Warthrop’s lithe frame in an embrace. 

“It was as well as it could’ve been Meister Abram.” He returned the embrace, to Elliot’s apparent shock and distaste. She had crossed her arms across her chest and was leaning against one of the pillars in the grand foyer of von Helrung’s home. The look on her face was sour, like she had just ate a lemon and she scoffed as she looked out the window closest to her left. 

“Ah, and my good friend Will! How are you? I see you’ve grown taller, but only a little! Pellinore, you really just feed him more.” He went to give me one of his trademarked hugs, but stopped with a shocked look on his face when he saw who was behind me. “Mein Gott, Pellinore. You weren’t lying. She most definitely is your daughter!” He pushed me to the side and crushed her in between his arms and she looked extremely uncomfortable, like she couldn’t breathe, yet she still returned his embrace out of polite courtesy.

“Elliot, this was my mentor, Abram von Helrung. Meister Abram, my daughter, Elliot Jean Warthrop.” The doctor’s voice had that dry lecturing tone that I heard too often. 

Once she could breathe again she greeted the man. “It’s an honor, sir.”

He beamed at her. If he was curious at all of her peculiar clothing tastes, he didn’t show it. “No, my lady, the honor is mine. I’ve heard so much about you, I’ve yet to see if it’s true, but there’s plenty of time! Why don’t you and Will Henry go up to your room, while I talk to your father. William, you will be staying in Lillian’s room, she’s away in England right now.” 

I don’t know why I felt disappointed that she was gone, but I was. I felt we had much to catch up on, and I was upset she didn’t at least write to tell me she was leaving. Nonetheless, I went up to her bedroom, with Elli in tow. She smirked at me and took a look around the room.

“Do you like little Lillian, Will Henry?” She once again had that mischievous glint in her eye as she stalked closer to me. 

“No, I do not like her. Why must everyone assume that I do, just because we are friends?” I was exasperated and tired of everyone asking me that question. I threw my bag on the bottom bunk and began unpacking.

“Oh, you’re friends? Have you ever kissed her?” She took my bag from the bed and placed it on the top bunk. “Always give they lady the bottom bunk, William.” 

“I thought you were only capable of being a lady sometimes,” I dodged answering her question as best I could. I was tired of dealing with her all day and I longed for the black abysmal nothingness of sleep. 

“So you have kissed her,” she laughed at me and my ears turned bright red. 

“I have never kissed her! She kissed me first!” My voice cracked and I almost died from embarrassment. I begged for the ground to swallow me up and to never be seen again. 

“Oh! That’s different then, isn’t it? I apologize, Will Henry. You have never kissed Lillian, she has only kissed you!” She laughed even harder and threw her head back. She composed herself quickly, however and patted me on the shoulder. “I’m not laughing at you, just at how my father may have reacted. I really can’t decide on how to imagine it.”

“He didn’t seem to care, he just warned me against falling in love. He told me love wasn’t worth it, and I assured him I felt the same way.” I climbed onto the top bunk and began unlacing my boots. 

“Don’t believe him, love is worth it, the best kind of it at least…” she trailed off as she began to unpack her few things.

“How many kinds of love are there?” I was curious by the latter half of her statement.

“Oh, let’s not have a boring philosophical conversation now, I’m tired and I’m sure you are too, after today. Let’s go to sleep and we can talk again tomorrow if you still want to, okay?” She left towards the bathroom to change into her nightgown and freshen up. Once she was gone, I quickly changed and fell asleep. She was right, I had no idea how exhausted I was after the long day I had had. I was sure the next weeks and months would be even more exhausting depending on what von Helrung had in store for us. That night, I dreamt of Lillian Bates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you have any questions, you’re always free to message me!  
> and as always constructive criticism is welcome!  
> -xx violetgrier

**Author's Note:**

> i realize that this is short and poorly written, but I needed to put something on here so I could save it


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